Topic: Koji Igarashi Leaves Konami, Founding New Studio, Metroidvania GDC

[beingthehero]

An offhand comment made over 12 years ago is probably no longer valid, given how we've since had Shanoa and Charlotte as female Castlevania characters. Charlotte was the voice of reason in PoR and the one who saved the Lecarde sisters, and Shanoa was pretty bad ass.

[Flame]

I don't think that would be a good idea. We already know of IGAs reluctance toward female heroes

why do people think this? All because he reconnected one game which happened to have a female lead, suddenly he's a woman hater or doesn't like female protagonists.

He made Shanoa didn't he? He retonned Sonia because she really didn't make much sense considering the time period (not that Shanoa would make much MORE, but yknow, whatever),  because it's just a kind of a really boring origin that doesn't explain much the origin of anything, and the shit with Alucard being Trevor's daddy was just weird.

[beingthehero]

Well he also said that it was easier to write in female characters as damsels in distress, i.e. Lydie. That was in 2002 and he's since backtracked it. But his other complaints about Legends in the 2008 Nintendo Power interview - it was poorly designed, retconned CV3, and that KCEN should have consulted some of original Castlevania designers - is perfectly valid.

[Trevelyan]

http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/03/19/future-of-castlevania-in-limbo/78550/

With the original Lords of Shadow, Mercury Steam created a modern day classic that truly honored the Castlevania name and legacy. In fact, I would rate that game as one of my top ten of the entire last generation. Then came Mirror of Fate, a heartfelt homage to classic 2D Castlevania with that ingenious Metroidvania design fused in for good measure. The level design in Mirror of Fate is up there with the best that the series has to offer.

It's strange seeing this kind of talk now, I don't remember such positivity for the series before 2 came out

[e105beta]

It's strange seeing this kind of talk now, I don't remember such positivity for the series before 2 came out

I'm going to coin this right now before anybody else gets to it first:

The Lords Effect

When a game is released that significantly alters a classically cherished canon or continuity in either story or gameplay, it will at first be met with flak equivalent to the intensity of love given to the series by the traditional fans. However, with each game released prior to said reboot, the game will be remembered more and more fondly, eventually being heralded as a "classic" in contrast to the most recent release, which will in turn be regarded as a huge disappointment.

The opposite of this effect is the Sonic Effect, in which a game will be praised greatly upon release as the rebirth of the series, only to become more and more hated with each subsequent release.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I put this on Iga's Facebook wall.  Perhaps I'm one of those people:

Mr. "IGA". Thank you for your years of dedication with my favorite series, Castlevania (Akumajo Dracula), and I wish you luck in the future with whatever you do.
You're Not Alone - Final Dialogue - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

[Kingshango]

I'm going to coin this right now before anybody else gets to it first:

The Lords Effect

When a game is released that significantly alters a classically cherished canon or continuity in either story or gameplay, it will at first be met with flak equivalent to the intensity of love given to the series by the traditional fans. However, with each game released prior to said reboot, the game will be remembered more and more fondly, eventually being heralded as a "classic" in contrast to the most recent release, which will in turn be regarded as a huge disappointment.

The opposite of this effect is the Sonic Effect, in which a game will be praised greatly upon release as the rebirth of the series, only to become more and more hated with each subsequent release.

Don't forget, this effect is also prominent to the Zelda series as well.

[Nagumo]

But the Zelda cycle is pure nonsense. Certainly not something I'm affected by at least.

[e105beta]

Don't forget, this effect is also prominent to the Zelda series as well.

I'd never heard of the Zelda cycle before, but after looking it up, it seems more akin to the Sonic cycle.

[X]

why do people think this?

Because IGA admitted it himself.

He retonned Sonia because she really didn't make much sense considering the time period

With all due respect Flame that's a weak excuse coming from IGA. Do I really need to pull out the Joan of Arch argument again? Or should I let Jorge pull out his bingo card.

Joan of Arch: 1412-1431 AD.

Sonia Belmont (CV Legends) 1450 AD.

I see no problems here in terms of female warriors at this time period. Or any time period at that. It's all about perception which is clouded by man's ego. Lose the ego, gain the perception.

[beingthehero]

You do realize that Joan of Arc was charbroiled for her troubles, right

[e105beta]

You do realize that Joan of Arc was charbroiled for her troubles, right

So instead of being removed from the canon, Sonia should have been charbroiled? Works for me.

Honestly, I've never seen what the big deal with Sonia is. It's not like Sonia had some awesome backstory or excellent characterization to be remembered through the ages. Plus, I've never played Legends, but from what I've seen and read, it's not even that good.

She is, from a semi-outsider's perspective, nothing more than Female the Belmont. At least Shanoa had enough personality that they could take it away and make it a plot point.

And why does IGA retconning her make him sexist? Maybe he didn't want Alucard to be great-grandpappy Belmont. Maybe he didn't like the extremely weak origin story for the VK. Maybe he thought that the original Belmont story needed to be a little more substantial than a sub-par GBA game. I see nothing wrong with that.

[Abnormal Freak]

Sonia was a pretty shitty character and the "Alucard porked Sonia and thus came Trevor" alluded to is even shittier. Let's all just be happy she was retconned. :p

And then after that, realize the bulk of Castlevania's story/timeline is pretty basic and retarded anyway and all is well.

[theplottwist]

Sonia was a pretty shitty character and the "Alucard porked Sonia and thus came Trevor" alluded to is even shittier. Let's all just be happy she was retconned. :p

And then after that, realize the bulk of Castlevania's story/timeline is pretty basic and retarded anyway and all is well.

Dude, are you trying to start a war or something?

[e105beta]

Dude, are you trying to start a war or something?

He's right, though.